10 Tips That Will Improve Your Shots

The art of photography isn’t just a fun and effective way to show off your creative side but also a remarkable tool in terms of commemorating and immortalizing a beautiful moment in history. And, even though modern cameras and smartphones are capable of delivering astonishing shots, a large chunk of the process is still riding on the shoulders of the photographer. Which is exactly why we have compiled a short list of tricks and techniques that will allow you to improve your photography game without putting a whole ton of effort into it.

Focus on the Eyes

Even though eye contact isn’t necessarily always something that you wish to achieve with your shot, a pair of sharp eyes will always look better in a portrait. All you have to do is manually select an Autofocus point in order to position it around your model’s eyes.

Straighten & Crop
Though you may be presented with an option of straightening the shots by taking a closer look through the viewfinder of your camera, it isn’t always an easy task given how often small the LCD screen on it is. Don’t worry, however, since you will always have the opportunity to adjust your shot on a full screen. The only thing you’ll have to do is rotate your picture in the post production program of your choice and crop out some of the empty spaces.

Never Shake Your Camera
Arguably one of the more obvious suggestions, plenty of beginners still have a hard time keeping their camera still. In order to do that, try to make sure that you’re holding the camera itself with one hand while the other one handles the lens. Aside from that, consider positioning the elbows on top of your body in order to provide them with a type of supporting structure. Furthermore, never forget to hold your breath before taking a shot.

Capture the Things That You Love
Sure, this isn’t quite as straightforward of a tip compared to the other ones, but the concept itself is more than valid. By always focusing your attention on objects and subjects that you are passionate about, you will be able to maintain your interest in this wonderful hobby.

Utilize the “Rule of Thirds”
Definitely one of the most fundamental techniques in photography, the aforementioned rule suggests that you should always visually break the image down into a grid of nine equal rectangles and position your subject on one of the four intersections in order to achieve a more natural look.

Switch Your Perspective Up
The absolute majority of people observe the world from a point of somewhere around 5 feet and 6 inches from the ground. So, in order to make sure your picture stands out, it is never a bad idea to consider a different angle or a new approach. Jump on a bench, crouch, use any means necessary to elevate yourself and you will be able to expose a completely new look in your shots.

Be Selective With Your Frame
The main focal point of your image should always be the subject that you decided to portray. With that in mind, different kinds of backgrounds will be able to sell the picture just as well as they could ruin one, so you should always consider what is it that you want to capture aside from the subject of your image.

Rotate Your Camera
It often feels far more natural to keep your camera in a constantly horizontal position in order to capture the image that is wider than it is tall, but you should try to remember that the possibility of switching it up to a vertical one is always there. Especially given that the latter will allow you to access an array of new opportunities in terms of framing.

Not Just the Tricks
Naturally, aside from different tricks and techniques, equipment still plays a major role when it comes to influencing the final product. Something as seemingly simple as a circle light, for instance, will be able to help you achieve even illumination, minimize unnecessary shadows, and highlight the best parts of your image.

Disregard All of the Above
Now that you have learned all of these unquestionably useful techniques, consider ignoring some of them from time to time. Though there are plenty of technical aspects to photography, it is more of an art than science, and that means that you should always follow your vision first and disregard any suggestion that goes against it.